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Message started by Ralph_86-Savage on 09/03/14 at 11:15:29

Title: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Ralph_86-Savage on 09/03/14 at 11:15:29

I'm pert near brand new to wearing prescription eyeglasses and was just curious as to my options when riding my bike. I would hate for a rock to bust my only pair of good glasses, but at the same time, if I take them off and wear my riding glasses(not prescription), I'm worried that it could be dangerous.

So I'm wondering what all my options are and what you guys/gals do if you wear prescription glasses... 8-)

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Blinky-FSO on 09/03/14 at 11:59:20

Full face helmet works for me. I have both a smoked and clear visor.

Good hunting

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Greg on 09/03/14 at 12:59:59

I picked up a pair of prescription riding glasses from http://riderseye.com/prescription.html. Mine are bifocal. My street glasses are the blended doodads. My next riding glasses will be single vision. I saw Walmart sells prescription riding glasses as well. I needed them to seal out the wind. Once I installed the windshield, riding glasses aren't required to keep out the wind and it does deflect most road debris. I have ridden with a shield on my half helmet. That will protect your glasses and keep the wind out of your eyeballs. I do typically wear the riding glasses though since they are much more shatter resistant.

I would suggest riding with your glasses to see if you need to keep the wind off your eyes. Mine are very sensitive to the air flow. Even if you don't need them for that, I would suggest either a shield (half or full helmet) or riding glasses. I prefer the riding glasses.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Fishbulb on 09/03/14 at 13:55:44

Full face helmet as well. It is an HJC flip-up, I can leave my glasses on when I put it on.

However, I do often ride with the visor up, so it is often just the glasses in front of my eyes...

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by GridMonkey on 09/03/14 at 14:22:16

I wear contacts, full face for me BUT, i have a backup pair of glasses i keep in my bag just in case i lose a lens that i got from here http://www.zennioptical.com/ for 6$

That's where they start, those aren't bulletproof of course, but if the worry is that you'll break your glasses riding, 6$ is no big loss. And you can customize a lot about them, of course the more you need the more it costs but that's true of anything.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by MnSpring on 09/03/14 at 14:42:43

With eye glasses, I use FF with shield or, 1/2 with tip down shield.
I always felt, that turning my head, with just glasses, the wind could whip them off.

In Shooting, just a pair, of good, 'over glasses', eye protection works. BUT, ya don't have the wind, trying to rip them off.

I am thinking that a good pair of over glasses, 'goggles', would work.
But just haven't found any that don't look like I am doing some Alpine Ski Jumping. ;D

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by gizzo on 09/04/14 at 04:13:41

I wear a streetfighter style lid (Lazer Dragon) which keeps the wind off the glasses. I've seem other crew with goggles like MX goggs that fit over the glasses too.
I have a pair of these http://barzoptics.com/arfa-surf-goggle-sunglasses for surfing but they're great for motorcycling, too. They come with a few different gaskets so you can use them in or out of water, and can get prescription lenses made for them. They're pricey but excellent.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Ralph_86-Savage on 09/04/14 at 06:07:38

I only have a half helmet that I got a few years ago, when my only worry was looking "cool." Until I decide upon/can afford a different helmet, or not, it seems like my best bet would be to get contacts.

I'm glad everyone is chiming in. I didn't see any posts like this, so maybe it can also help other or new riders that have the same problem I am facing. Thanks guys, and keep the comments coming.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Oldfeller on 09/04/14 at 10:00:50

I use safety glasses (provided by work insurance) and a full face helmet.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Greg on 09/04/14 at 11:48:45

Ralph, contacts won't save your precious eyesight from road debris or determined bugs. If you get contacts, pick up a pair of safety or riding glasses as well.

edit: Never mind. I remember you stated you had non prescription riding glasses. Then I change my response to wear them with your contacts to protect your eyes.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by JamesThomas on 09/04/14 at 13:58:17

Google: Over glass goggles

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by kimchris1 on 09/04/14 at 14:51:25

I wear either glasses or contacts as well
as a HJC full face flip helmet.
You will discover if you choose contacts that
one of the benefits is, they don't fog up like
glasses do.
I would suggest investing in a 2nd pair of glasses
just to be on the safe side.
The glasses help filter out substances that can
get in your eyes even with a ff helmet, where
the contacts don't.
I have been riding 7 years and so far have never
had glasses fly off my face.
That again is possibly due to the ff helmet.
Best of luck on your decision. :) kim & Genie

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Dave on 09/04/14 at 17:24:36

I ride with a full face helmet...occasionally with sunglasses.

Sometimes gnats will hit my chest, then bounce or get blown up inside my helmet. About once every 500 miles....one of them ends up in my eye. The bigger bugs don't tend to bounce like the gnats do.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Gowor on 09/05/14 at 01:30:44

I use a Caberg flip up helmet, so I don't have to remove my glasses when I put it on. It also has a built-in second, tinted visor, which is an excellent replacement for sunglasses (and I miss it in my car).
I modified it by removing the padding from where the optional helmet speakers go, and putting in a thinner layer. This way it doesn't press the glasses into my skull, and it's perfect :-)

If I'll get hit by a rock hard enough for it to get through the visor, and damage my glasses, I guess I'll have bigger problems than getting new glasses.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by Steve H on 09/05/14 at 04:02:33

I wear a FF helmet. Remove glasses, put on helmet, put glasses back on is a little of a pain but not bad. The helmet keeps all sorts of crap out of your eyes and off of your glasses that would otherwise hit your glasses or get in your eyes.

Modular, flip-up helmets don't make you remove your glasses to put them on.

Given that glasses, in many cases, cost as much or more than a helmet, why not protect them and your eyes at the same time?

You can get prescription safety glasses. They generally won't shatter but can still be broken or cracked. If it doesn't cost too much with your prescription, you might want to consider the self-darkening lenses. I loved them when I had them. Now, with my prescription(I'm legally blind without my glasses), they want a small fortune for the photo-gray in them.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/05/14 at 14:08:38

1A352F343E29303E5C0 wrote:

Full face helmet as well. It is an HJC flip-up, I can leave my glasses on when I put it on.

However, I do often ride with the visor up, so it is often just the glasses in front of my eyes...

I have an HJC flip face and it made it possible to leave the glasses on while I was putting the helmet on or off. BUT,the padding touched my glasses and road vibrations shook the glasses and That made the World shake. I solved the problem by sewing the padding down to not touch the glasses anywhere. The ability to slightly crack the shield open makes it easy to keep the lenses from fogging up. I recommend the HJC flip face. They are cheap AND I smashed one real hard and walked away.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by HAPPYDAN on 09/07/14 at 07:13:39

I have a Bell 3/4 helmet with retractable full-face visor, it fits well and was pretty reasonable at about $120. The visor flips up easily at stops and slow speeds to eliminate condensation, and has taken some pretty serious rock-hits at 60 mph without a scratch. I tried a full-face type, but I'm claustrophobic and couldn't handle the extra anxiety. I have heard of companies that make prescription ballistic (ANSI rated) eyewear for the military (Wiley-X?). You might try to GOOGLE that and see what happens. Good Luck!

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by brownie17 on 09/30/14 at 19:07:31

I have a set of prescription sunglasses with a strap that cinches up so they stay on. Perfect for motorcycle riding or on the boat.

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by mpescatori on 10/02/14 at 00:41:06

Quote:

260E160E13610 wrote:

...
If I'll get hit by a rock hard enough for it to get through the visor, and damage my glasses, I guess I'll have bigger problems than getting new glasses.

Odd how you were the only one to think about this...

If your only eye protection are your prescription glasses and a rock shoots and breaks the lens... you have a rock in your eye socket.
In other words, you have just lost your eye.

Wear a helmet, regardless of its design, with a full face visor !

Title: Re: Riding with Eyeglasses
Post by arteacher on 10/02/14 at 09:01:05

I have a windshield that puts most of the slipstream over my glasses. That said, I usually wear a 1/2 visor that covers my glasses, but not my nose or mouth. (I have to remind myself to keep my mouth shut) I have a FF helmet, but find it a real pita to take my glasses off, put the helmet on, then put my glasses back on again.
I would never ever ride without some kind of eye protection. You have seen the mess a bug can make on your visor or goggles- imagine if that had hit your eye.
I had a talk with my optometrist who also rides regarding the safety of modern eyeglasses. Most are not glass anymore but plastic and quite strong plastic to boot. He said if a stone were strong enough to shatter the lens in most glasses, it would go through a visor too. He said the best protection against stones is a properly sized windshield.